Start Saving for the Apocalypse

Keira Knightley as Penny, left, and Steve Carell as Dodge in a scene from "Seeking A Friend for the End of the World."

Though a bummer in general, it turns out the apocalypse can sometimes be good for business. The end of the world provides a setting for romance and comedy in the new Steve Carell film, which hit theaters over the weekend and, alas, kind of died. But the movie was only the latest proof that, for better or worse, apocalyptic marketing is hot. The trend goes back at least to last spring, when fears of Bible-style Armageddon inspired opportunists to offer post-Rapture services for the heathens not beamed up to heaven, and continuing on through recent “zombie” stories and Mayan calendar theories about the world ending in 2012. Here’s a top ten list of products and services that play off consumer fears and fascinations with the apocalypse.